Communication is vital for any group and the best way to communicate regularly is by newsletters. They allow news and items of special interest to the group to be covered in a way that appeals to them, such as by the inclusion of ‘jargon’ for example. Club or Association-specific news, such as the outcomes of committee meetings, disbursements of special funds, upcoming events and so on, fit particularly well with the newsletter format where the group’s colors, logo, motto etc. can readily be incorporated as well. Well-organized and properly produced newsletters full of meaningful content should cultivate a sense of belonging, generate a collective identity and enhance membership loyalty.
What Is Special About Member Newsletters?
In the context of organized groups, newsletters are the most efficient way of keeping everyone up-to-date with calendar events like the time and date of meetings, what happens on specified days of the week, month etc. As such, they can be used as information resources, at the same time as serving to remind members of regular events and happenings. Member newsletters can outline what is coming up for discussion in meetings, who the Committee members are, what their special responsibilities are and various other similar types of data. In other words, in common with most other newsletters, the readers matter most, and in this case they are the members. Member newsletters therefore help to draw the organization together by reinforcing that sense of membership.
What Should Be In Them?
The most obvious type of data for inclusion is Club or Association news, as previously mentioned. ‘Coming Events’ is the most common example but, with a little imagination, you can think up many more. ‘Serialized’ content is one type of feature that has many advantages, including that of allowing an editor to run articles that otherwise might be considered too long for a single reading. Short biographies of important members of the organization can also prove popular. Or better still, bios of new members, or members of long standing. The point is that any information that is likely to interest the majority of members should find a place as a regular feature. Members quickly become familiar with the layout of their newsletter and start looking forward to its regular inclusions.
Should They Contain Only ‘Club News’?
Definitely not! A newsletter that only contains news that directly involves the host organization soon becomes boring. For example, a newsletter for ‘The Dolphins’ junior league water polo team, might soon lose its power to excite if its coverage is always restricted to committee meetings, reports of wins and losses, upcoming events etc. Some human interest is always good for variety (like how little Jimmy’s mother always launders the whole team’s gear after every match) but it has its limitations. What is needed is appropriate supporting copy.
What Is Supporting Copy?
Anything that goes beyond that which is strictly necessary for inclusion qualifies as supporting copy. Continuing the above example, this might include such items as a series on ‘Famous Stars of Water Polo’, a crossword with a sports theme, a couple of jokes and maybe a cartoon. Supporting copy used this way adds variety and balance, and ensures that the newsletter gets read.
Where Do You Find Supporting Copy?
Specialized material, such as the hypothetical ‘Famous Stars of Water Polo’ piece, might be contributed by a club member or researched using an enthusiastic member’s book collection on the sport. Or you could use your local library or an encyclopedia to seek out the fundamental data needed for that article and maybe some of the other things mentioned. Now though, for the first time, there is another source. The Internet really has developed, at last, into the ‘information super highway’ and on it you can usually find hundreds of gems of knowledge related to your subject if you know how and where to look.